Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives, during or after reproduction of a video, a predetermined operation with respect to the video, an associating unit that associates the received operation with a reproduction location where the received operation has been generated in the video, and a setting unit that sets in response to the received operation an importance degree of the reproduction location associated with the received operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 16/799,119 filed Feb. 24,2020, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 16/568,813 filedSep. 12, 2019, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No.15/918,300 filed Mar. 12, 2018, which is a Division of application Ser.No. 15/441,777 filed Feb. 24, 2017, which is based on and claimspriority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No.2016-157950 filed Aug. 10, 2016. The disclosure of these priorapplications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND (i) Technical Field

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, aninformation processing method, and a non-transitory computer readablemedium.

(ii) Related Art

Viewers as participants in a lecture may play and view a video that isprovided in video data or moving image data. In related art, a senderside providing the video has difficulty in recognizing a scene of thevideo which the viewers are interested in (a scene which the viewersconsider to be of value).

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided aninformation processing apparatus. The information processing apparatusincludes a receiving unit that receives, during or after playing of avideo, a predetermined operation with respect to the video, anassociating unit that associates the received operation with a playlocation where the received operation has been generated in the video,and a setting unit that sets in response to the received operation animportance degree of the play location associated with the receivedoperation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 generally illustrates a configuration of an e-learning system ofan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a hardware configuration of a computer;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the e-learning system;

FIG. 4 illustrates a video management table;

FIG. 5 illustrates a user interface (UI) screen presented on aparticipant terminal apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an importance degree generatingprocess;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (subroutine) of an individual interest degreegenerating process;

FIG. 8 illustrates an interest coefficient management table;

FIG. 9A through FIG. 9F illustrate examples of transitions of theindividual interest degree and the importance degree;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an importance degree file and a timebar of the importance degree;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a time bar image; and

FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B illustrate weighting coefficient managementtables.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below withreference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 generally illustrates a configuration of an e-learning system 1of an exemplary embodiment.

The e-learning system 1 includes a participant terminal apparatus group10 including multiple participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C(three terminal apparatuses in the exemplary embodiment), a serverapparatus 20, an administrator terminal apparatus 30, and a network 40.

Each of the participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C forming aparticipant terminal apparatus group 10 is a computer that may be usedby a participant (such as a student) who listens to a lecture in thee-learning that is based on video content (lecture video). Theparticipant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C may be respectivelyused by different participants. Each of the participant terminalapparatuses 10A through 10C may be assigned to multiple participants. Inthe exemplary embodiment, the participant terminal apparatus group 10includes three participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C. Thenumber of participant terminal apparatuses included in the participantterminal apparatus group 10 is any number equal to or above one.

The server apparatus 20 is a computer that stores video content to beused in the lecture of the e-learning, and a variety of data related tothe video content, and outputs (delivers) video content in response to arequest from each of the participant terminal apparatuses 10A through10C. The server apparatus 20 of the exemplary embodiment generates an“importance degree” that is determined by a degree of how much eachparticipant is interested in the video content that is output. The“importance degree” is described below in detail.

The administrator terminal apparatus 30 is a computer that may be usedby an administrator (for example, a teacher) who manages the lecture ofthe e-learning. The administrator terminal apparatus 30 is used tomanage (register, delete, or edit) the video content stored on theserver apparatus 20. The administrator terminal apparatus 30 receivesthe “importance degree” from the server apparatus 20 via the network 40.

In the e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, one of theparticipant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C receives video content(lecture video) from the server apparatus 20 via the network 40, andplays the video content. A viewer using the participant terminalapparatus thus performs the learning using the video content. In thee-learning system 1 as well, each of the participant terminalapparatuses 10A through 10C may receive and play the same video content.The participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C may receive thesame video content during the same period of time (the server apparatus20 multi-casts the video content), or may receive the same video contentduring different periods of time (the server apparatus 20 uni-casts thevideo content). In the e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment,the participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C receive fromrespective participants a variety of operations (as described in detailbelow) to be applied to the video content currently being played orafter being played (as described in detail below), and outputs theoperations to the server apparatus 20 via the network 40. Depending oncontents of each received operation, the server apparatus 20 determinesthe “importance degree” of each piece of video content stored on theserver apparatus 20. The “importance degree” determined by the serverapparatus 20 is transmitted to the administrator terminal apparatus 30via the network 40.

FIG. 2 illustrates a hardware configuration of a computer 70 that servesas each of the participant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C, theserver apparatus 20, and the administrator terminal apparatus 30.

The computer 70 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 71, a read-onlymemory (ROM) 72, and a random-access memory (RAM) 73. The CPU 71 readsand executes an OS and a variety of programs. The ROM 72 stores aprogram that is executed by the CPU 71 and data that is used when theCPU 71 executes the program. The RAM 73 stores data that is temporarilygenerated when the program is executed. The computer 70 further includesa hard disk drive (HDD) 74, a network interface card (NIC) 75, an inputdevice 76, a display 77, and a bus 78. The HDD 74 stores a variety ofprograms and a variety of data. The NIC 75 exchanges data with a devicedisposed external to the computer 70. The input device 76 receives aninput from a user. The display 77 displays an image on a display screenthereof. The bus 78 interconnects these elements. The input device 76includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. The display 77 includes aliquid-crystal display or the like. The program to be executed by theCPU 71 in the computer 70 may be pre-stored on the ROM 72 or the HDD 74.Alternatively, the program may be delivered to the CPU 71 in a recordedform on a storage medium, such as a compact disk read-only memory(CD-ROM), or may be delivered to the CPU 71 via the network 40.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the e-learning system 1 ofFIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3, the participant terminal apparatuses 10Band 10C forming the participant terminal apparatus group 10 and thenetwork 40 are not illustrated. Each of the participant terminalapparatuses 10B and 10C is identical in configuration to the participantterminal apparatus 10A.

The participant terminal apparatus 10A includes a video playing unit 11and an operation acquisition unit 12. The video playing unit 11 playsvideo content (an example of video) acquired from the server apparatus20 via the network 40 (not illustrated). The operation acquisition unit12 receives an operation of a participant who uses the participantterminal apparatus 10A. The participant terminal apparatus 10A displaysthe video content on the display 77 (see FIG. 2), and receives theoperation of the user via the input device 76 (see FIG. 2).

The server apparatus 20 as an example of an information processingapparatus includes a video management unit 21 and an operation recordingunit 22. The video management unit 21 manages video content to besupplied to the participant terminal apparatus 10A or the like. On eachpiece of video content or on each participant, the operation recordingunit 22 records data related to contents of the operation acquired fromthe participant terminal apparatus 10A or the like. The server apparatus20 further includes an individual interest degree generating unit 23,and an interest coefficient storage unit 24. The individual interestdegree generating unit 23 generates a time sequential change in theinterest degree of each participant concerning the video content(hereinafter referred to as referred to as an “individual interestdegree”). The interest coefficient storage unit 24 stores apredetermined interest coefficient that is used when the individualinterest degree generating unit 23 generates an individual interestdegree. The server apparatus 20 further includes an importance degreegenerating unit 25 and a weighting coefficient storage unit 26. Theimportance degree generating unit 25 generates a time sequential changein the interest degrees of multiple participants concerning the videocontent by successively accumulating the individual interest degrees ofthe multiple participants generated by the individual interest degreegenerating unit 23 (hereinafter referred to as an “importance degree”).The weighting coefficient storage unit 26 stores a predeterminedweighting coefficient that is used when the importance degree generatingunit 25 generates the importance degree. The server apparatus 20 furtherincludes an importance degree notifying unit 27 that notifies to theadministrator terminal apparatus 30 via the network 40 (not illustrated)data of the importance degree of the video content generated by theimportance degree generating unit 25 (data of a time bar image describedbelow). In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, the operationrecording unit 22 functions as an example of a receiving unit, theindividual interest degree generating unit 23 functions as an example ofan associating unit, and the individual interest degree generating unit23 and the importance degree generating unit 25 function as an exampleof a setting unit.

The administrator terminal apparatus 30 includes an importance degreereceiving unit 31. The importance degree receiving unit 31 receives thedata of the importance degree (the data of the time bar image)transmitted from the server apparatus 20 via the network 40 (notillustrated). The administrator terminal apparatus 30 displays thereceived data of the importance degree on the display 77 (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 4 illustrates a video management table that is used by the serverapparatus 20. The video management table is stored on the videomanagement unit 21 (see FIG. 3) provided in the server apparatus 20.

The video management table of FIG. 4 registers “video data”. The videodata associates a title of a lecture video of the video content(referred to as a video title), a file path of the lecture video(referred to a video file path), a file path of a index file includingthe index of the lecture video (referred to as an index file path), anda file path of an importance degree file including the importance degreeof the lecture video (referred to as an importance degree file path). Inthe e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the videomanagement table is updated each time the administrator using theadministrator terminal apparatus 30 adds, deletes, or edits (corrects) alecture video to be provided to the participants.

In the example of FIG. 4, “Introduction to biology” and “Introduction tophysics” are registered as lecture contents on the video managementtable. The “Introduction to biology” registered as the video dataincludes three pieces of video data including “Introduction to biology(first session)”, “Introduction to biology (second session)”, and“Introduction to biology (third session)”. The “Introduction to physics”registered as the video data includes three pieces of video dataincluding “Introduction to physics (first session)”, “Introduction tophysics (second session)”, and “Introduction to physics (thirdsession)”. For example, in “Introduction to biology (first session)”,the video file path is set to be “C:$movie$biologyl.wmv”, the index filepath is set to be “C:$index$biologyl.txt”, and the importance degreefile path is set to be “C:$importance$biologyl.dat”.

FIG. 5 illustrates a user interface (UI) screen 100 presented on thedisplay 77 in each of the participant terminal apparatuses 10A through10C in the e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment.

The UI screen 100 includes a title display area 110 disposed on the topleft corner of the screen, a video display box 120 disposed in thecenter of the screen, and a video operation receiving box 130 disposedbelow the video display box 120. The UI screen 100 further includes anindex display box 140 disposed to the left side of the video display box120. The UI screen 100 further includes a note receiving display box 150disposed as the top tier box, a favorite receiving display box 160 asthe middle tier box, and a test receiving display box 170 as the bottomtier box on the right side of the video display box 120. FIG. 5 alsoillustrates a pointer 180 that moves within the UI screen 100 inresponse to the operation of the input device 76 (see FIG. 2).

In the e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, each of theparticipant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C acquires from theserver apparatus 20 a lecture video the participants want to view byspecifying the video tile to the server apparatus 20. FIG. 5 illustratesthe UI screen 100 that is displayed on the participant terminalapparatus 10A when the video data of “Introduction to biology (firstsession)” of FIG. 4 is acquired.

The title display partition 110 displays the title of the lecture video.In this example, “Introduction to biology (first session)” is displayedas the video title of the video data in the title display area 110.

The video display box 120 displays the lecture video. In this example,the video display box 120 displays the lecture video specified by thevideo file path “C:$movie$biologyl.wmv” of the video data.

The video operation receiving box 130 receives operations that theparticipant performs using the pointer 180 and that are related to theplaying of the lecture video to be displayed on the video display box120. Such operations may include play, pause, fast forward, reverse, andvolume control. Time information of the lecture video played on thevideo display box 120 (present play time and time period for playing thewhole lecture video) is displayed on the right side of the videooperation receiving box 130. In this example, 0:50 (present play timeand 3:00 (time period for playing the whole lecture video).

The index display box 140 displays the index of the lecture video. Theindex specified by the index file path “C:$index$biologyl.txt” of thevideo data is displayed in the index display box 140. In this example,the index includes “0:00 Opening→1:00 Concerning A→2:00 Concerning B”.

While the lecture video is displayed on the video display box 120regardless of operation (regardless of whether the participant terminalapparatus is playing or in pause), the note receiving display box 150receives from the participant via the pointer 180 an operation todisplay a screen (hereinafter referred to as a note screen) configuredto receive a note or text input. When the note receiving display box 150receives the operation, the note screen (not illustrated) is displayedtogether with the video display box 120 on the UI screen 100. Theparticipant is thus enabled to enter text on the note screen via theinput device 76 (see FIG. 2) with the lecture video displayed on thevideo display box 120.

While the lecture video is displayed on the video display box 120regardless of operation (regardless of whether the participant terminalapparatus is playing or in pause), the favorite receiving display box160 receives from the participant via the pointer 180 an operation toregister present play time as time for a favorite video out of thelecture video. When the favorite receiving display box 160 receives theoperation, the lecture video may be played starting at the registeredtime (time for the favorite video).

While the lecture video is displayed on the video display box 120regardless of operation (regardless of whether the participant terminalapparatus is playing or in pause) or after the lecture video isdisplayed (after it has been played), the test receiving display box 170receives from the participant via the pointer 180 an operation todisplay a screen concerning a test related to the lecture video. Whenthe test receiving display box 170 receives the operation, the testscreen (not illustrated) is displayed in place of the video display box120 on the UI screen 100. The participant may enter text (answer to thetest) on the test screen via the input device 76 (see FIG. 2) with thelecture video possibly serving as a hint not illustrated.

An importance degree generating process to be executed by the serverapparatus 20 in the e-learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment isdescribed below. The importance degree generating process of theexemplary embodiment is performed each time the server apparatus 20outputs (delivers) the lecture video (video data) to one of theparticipant terminal apparatuses 10A through 10C forming the participantterminal apparatus group 10.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the importance degree generatingprocess. The following discussion is based on the premise that theparticipant views (listens to) the importance degree generating processon the participant terminal apparatus 10A of the participant terminalapparatus group 10. The following discussion is also based on thepremise that the server apparatus 20 has output the lecture video (suchas “Introduction to biology (first session)) to the participant terminalapparatus 10A. The processes of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are performed by theserver apparatus 20 that executes the program thereof.

In the process of FIG. 6, the server apparatus 20 determines whether theoperation recording unit 22 has received from the operation acquisitionunit 12 in the participant terminal apparatus 10A an operation relatedto a start play of the lecture video (step S10). If the determinationresult in step S10 is non-affirmative (no), the server apparatus 20returns to step S10 to perform the operation in step S10.

If the determination result in step S10 is affirmative (yes), theoperation recording unit 22 starts the recording related to theoperation acquired from the operation acquisition unit 12 in theparticipant terminal apparatus 10A (step S20). The operation recordingunit 22 determines whether an operation related to the lecture video hasbeen received from the operation acquisition unit 12 in the participantterminal apparatus 10A (step S30). If the determination result of stepS30 is affirmative (yes), the server apparatus 20 performs a generatingprocess of the individual interest degree to generate an individualinterest degree of a participant who uses the participant terminalapparatus 10A (views the lecture video) (step S40), and returns to stepS30 to perform the operations in S30 and subsequent steps.

If the determination result of step S30 is non-affirmative (no), theoperation recording unit 22 determines whether an operation concerningthe end of the playing of the lecture video has been received from theoperation acquisition unit 12 in the participant terminal apparatus 10A(step S50). If the determination result of step S50 is non-affirmative(no), the server apparatus 20 returns to step S30 to perform theoperations in step S30 and subsequent steps.

If the determination result of step S50 is affirmative (yes), theoperation recording unit 22 ends the recording of the operation relatedto the lecture video (S60) acquired from the operation acquisition unit12 in the participant terminal apparatus 10A (step S60). The importancedegree generating unit 25 acquires a weighting coefficient from theweighting coefficient storage unit 26 (step S70). The importance degreegenerating unit 25 generates a new importance degree and performsimportance degree updating, using the importance degree generated in thepreceding importance degree generating process, the individual interestdegree generated in the current importance degree generating process,and the weighting coefficient read in step S70 (step S80). Theimportance degree notifying unit 27 then generates importance degreedisplaying data used to display the importance degree generated in stepS80 on the screen (step S90), and outputs the importance degreedisplaying data to the administrator terminal apparatus 30. Theimportance degree generating process is thus complete.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (subroutine) of the generating process of theindividual interest degree illustrated in step S40 of FIG. 6.

In the process of FIG. 7, the individual interest degree generating unit23 acquires the type of the operation of the lecture video (hereinafterreferred to as an operation type) received in step S30 (step S41). Theoperation type is described in detail below.

The individual interest degree generating unit 23 acquires time ofgeneration of the operation to the lecture video received in step S30(step S42). The generation time of the operation acquired in step S42 isnot present time, but play time at which the operation to a targetlecture video has been generated.

The individual interest degree generating unit 23 detects a generationtiming of the operation to the lecture video received in step S30 (stepS43). The generation timing of the operation is either during theplaying of the target lecture video or after it is played (after thetest).

The individual interest degree generating unit 23 acquires from theinterest coefficient storage unit 24 the interest coefficientcorresponding to the operation type acquired in step S41 (step S44). Theindividual interest degree generating unit 23 generates the individualinterest degree related to the lecture video and performs individualinterest degree updating by associating the generation time of theoperation acquired in step S42 with the interest coefficient acquired instep S44 with respect to the lecture video (step S45). The subroutine ofthe individual interest degree generating process thus ends. Processingreturns to step S30 of FIG. 6 to continue the process.

FIG. 8 illustrates an interest coefficient management table used by theserver apparatus 20. The interest coefficient management table is storedon the interest coefficient storage unit 24 (see FIG. 3) provided in theserver apparatus 20.

The interest coefficient management table of FIG. 8 stores “interestcoefficient data” that associates the operation type corresponding to alecture video to be played, the generation timing of the operation, theinterest coefficient set for the operation, and affected time set forthe generation time of the operation. In the e-learning system 1 of theexemplary embodiment, the administrator using the administrator terminalapparatus 30 sets the interest coefficient management table. Theinterest coefficient of the exemplary embodiment is higher as theparticipants interest becomes higher in positive value, and is lower asthe participants interest becomes lower in negative value. The interestcoefficient management table of FIG. 8 lists a possible reason at therightmost column for each operation type. Such reasons are listed fordiscussion purposes only, and are not listed in the real interestcoefficient management table.

In the example of FIG. 8, the operation type column lists “Note”,“Favorite”, “Test”, and “Playing”. The operation type “Note” means thatthe note receiving display box 150 is selected (clicked) on the UIscreen 100 of FIG. 5. The operation type “Favorite” means that thefavorite receiving display box 160 is selected on the UI screen 100 ofFIG. 5. The operation type “Test” means that the test receiving displaybox 170 is selected on the UI screen 100 of FIG. 5. The operation type“Playing” means that a play button in the video operation receiving box130 is selected on the UI screen 100 of FIG. 5.

With respect to the operation type “Note”, a generation timing columnlists “Video viewing in progress”, an interest coefficient column lists“+2”, and an affected time column lists “Durations of 3 seconds beforeand 3 seconds after time when note writing starts”. The interestcoefficient of the operation type “Note” is set to be “+2” because ofthe following reason. The participant takes note by clicking the notereceiving display box 150 during the video viewing in progress becausethe participants interest in the generation time (scene) of the lecturevideo is considered to be higher.

With respect to the operation type “Favorites”, the generation timingcolumn lists “Video viewing in progress”, the interest coefficientcolumn lists “+1”, and the affected time column lists “Durations of 3seconds before and 3 seconds after time when favorites are set”. Theinterest coefficient of the operation type “Favorites” is set to be “+1”because of the following reason. The participant sets the lecture videoto be favorites by clicking the favorite receiving display box 160during the “Video viewing in progress” because the participant maypossibly want to review the lecture video from the play time of thelecture video later (the participant may be interested in the lecturevideo).

With respect to the operation type “Test”, the generation timing columnlists “Video viewing in progress”, the interest coefficient column lists“−3”, and the affected time column lists “After viewing time whensession transitions into test”. The interest coefficient of theoperation type “Test” is set to be “−3” because of the following reason.The participant takes a test by clicking the test receiving display box170 during the “Video viewing in progress” (the participant displays thetest screen without the video display box 120 in place of the UI screen100 having the video display box 120) because the participant may notfeel like viewing the lecture video to the end thereof because he or sheis not very much interested in the play time (scene) of the lecturevideo.

With respect to the operation type “Playing”, the generation timingcolumn lists “After test”, the interest coefficient column lists “+1”,and the affected time column lists “Time when play starts”. The interestcoefficient of the operation type “Playing” is set to be “+1” because ofthe following reason. The participant reproduces the lecture videocorresponding to the test by clicking the play button of the videooperation receiving box 130 “After test”, namely, after the participanthas taken the test by clicking the test receiving display box 170. Inthis case, the participant may possibly check the contents of thelecture the participant does not understand well during the test (theparticipant is very much interested in) by reviewing the specifiedlecture video from the play time (scene).

The four operation examples as the operation types are described herein.The operation type is not limited to these examples, and another examplemay be included. The interest coefficient is not limited to those listedin FIG. 8, and the administrator may modify the operation type.

The importance degree generating process (and the individual interestdegree generating process as the subroutine) of the exemplary embodimentis described using a specific example. The e-learning system 1 may nowbegin with an initial state where no importance degree is set, and thesame lecture video “Introduction to biology (first session)” may beviewed by the participant X using the participant terminal apparatus10A, the participant Y using the participant terminal apparatus 10B, andthe participant Z using the participant terminal apparatus 10C in thatorder.

FIG. 9A through FIG. 9F illustrate examples of transitions in theindividual interest degree and the importance degree. FIG. 9Aillustrates the individual interest degree of the participant X who hasviewed “Introduction to biology (first session)”, and FIG. 9Billustrates the importance degree of “Introduction to biology (firstsession)” acquired from the individual interest degree of theparticipant X. FIG. 9C illustrates the individual interest degree of theparticipant Y who has viewed “Introduction to biology (first session)”in succession to the participant X, and FIG. 9D illustrates theimportance degree of “Introduction to biology (first session)” acquiredfrom the individual interest degrees of the participants X, and Y. FIG.9E illustrates the individual interest degree of the participant Z whohas viewed “Introduction to biology (first session)” in succession tothe participants X and Y, and FIG. 9F illustrates the importance degreeof “Introduction to biology (first session)” acquired from theindividual interest degrees of the participants X, Y and Z. Thehorizontal axis of each of FIG. 9A through FIG. 9F represent play time tof the lecture video (“Introduction to biology (first session)”), thevertical axis of each of FIG. 9A, FIG. 9C, and FIG. 9E represents theindividual interest degree, and the vertical axis of each of FIG. 9B,FIG. 9D, and FIG. 9F represents the importance degree. The discussion ofthe weighting coefficient is omitted herein.

The participant X may now view the lecture video “Introduction tobiology (first session)” on the participant terminal apparatus 10A. Theparticipant X may now click the favorite receiving display box 160 at ornear play time 0:25, and may now click the note receiving display box150 at or near play time 1:20. As illustrated in FIG. 9A, the resultingindividual interest degree of the participant X is +1 for a play timeperiod of 0:22 through 0:28 that includes 3 seconds before and 3 secondsafter play time 0:25, +2 for a play time period of 1:17 through 1:23that includes 3 seconds before and 3 seconds after play time 1:20, and±0 for the rest of the play time.

The importance degree is generated using the individual interest degreeof the participant X. Since no participant has viewed “Introduction tobiology (first session)” before the participant X in this example, thenewly obtained importance degree is the individual interest degree ofthe participant X. As illustrated in FIG. 9B, the interest degree is +1for the play time period of 0:22 through 0:28, +2 for the play timeperiod of 1:17 through 1:23, and ±0 for the rest of the play time.

The participant Y then views the lecture video “Introduction to biology(first session)” on the participant terminal apparatus 10B. Theparticipant X may click the favorite receiving display box 160 at ornear play time 1:20, at or near play time 1:35, and at or near play time2:10. As illustrated in FIG. 9C, the resulting individual interestdegree of the participant Y is +1 for the play time period of 1:17through 1:23 that includes 3 seconds before and 3 seconds after playtime 1:20, for a play time period of 1:32 through 1:38 that includes 3seconds before and 3 seconds after play time 1:35, and for a play timeperiod of 2:07 through 2:13 that includes 3 seconds before and 3 secondsafter play time 2:10. For the rest of the play time, the interest degreeis ±0.

Importance degree updating is performed using the importance degree thatis generated in accordance with the individual interest degree of theparticipant X and the newly obtained individual interest degree of theparticipant Y. More specifically, importance degree updating isperformed by adding the individual interest degree of the participant Yto the generated individual interest degree. As illustrated in FIG. 9D,the interest degree is “+1” for the play time period of 0:22 through0:28, the play time period of 1:32 through 1:38, and the play timeperiod of 2:07 through 2:13, +3 for the play time period of 1:17 through1:23, and ±0 for the rest of the play time.

The participant Z then views the lecture video “Introduction to biology(first session)” on the participant terminal apparatus 10C. Theparticipant Z may click the test receiving display box 170 at or nearplay time 2:05. As illustrated in FIG. 9E, the resulting individualinterest degree of the participant Z is −3 for a play time period of2:05 through 3:00 (the end time of “Introduction to biology (firstsession)”), and is ±0 for the rest of the play time.

Importance degree updating is performed in accordance with theimportance degree generated based on the individual interest degrees ofthe participants X and Y, and the newly obtained individual interestdegree of the participant Z. More specifically, importance degreeupdating is performed by adding the individual interest degree of theparticipant Z to the previously generated individual interest degree.Referring to FIG. 9F, the interest degree is +1 for the play time periodof 0:22 through 0:28, and the play time period of 1:32 through 1:38. Theinterest degree is +3 for the play time period of 1:17 through 1:23, −3for a play time period of 2:05 through 2:07 and a play time period of2:13 through 3:00, and −2 for the play time period of 2:07 through 2:13.The interest degree is ±0 for the rest of the play time.

Each time a participant views the lecture video “Introduction to biology(first session)”, the individual interest degree of that participant isgenerated, and the importance degree is updated using the obtainedindividual interest degree. In this way, the population of participantscontributing to the production of importance degree increases.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an importance degree file thusobtained and a time bar of the importance degree. The upper portion ofFIG. 10 is a graph of an example of the importance degree file, and thelower portion of FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the time bar of theimportance degree the importance degree notifying unit 27 (see FIG. 3)generates based on the importance degree file illustrated in the upperportion of FIG. 10. The horizontal axis of each of the top and lowerportions of FIG. 10 represents play time t of the lecture video(“Introduction to biology (first session)” here), and the vertical axisof the upper portion of FIG. 10 represents the importance degree. Thewhole play time period of the lecture video “Introduction to biology(first session)” is 3 minutes. The first one minute is for the openingof the lecture video, the second one minute is for the explanation aboutA, and the third one minute is for the explanation about B (see FIG. 5as well).

Referring to FIG. 10, a first threshold value Th1 and a second thresholdvalue Th2 that is higher than the first threshold value are set withrespect to the importance degree of the exemplary embodiment. Theimportance degree is higher than the second threshold value Th2 for aplay time period of 0:06 through 0:28 and a play time period of 1:14through 1:45. The importance degree is lower than the first thresholdvalue Th1 for a play time period of 0:45 through 1:14 and a play timeperiod of 1:45 through 2:07. The importance degree falls between thefirst threshold value Th1 and the second threshold value Th2 for therest of the play time. It is recognized that some participants are moreinterested in the lecture video for a period throughout which theimportance degree is above the first threshold value Th1, and that otherparticipants are less interested in the lecture video for a periodthroughout which the importance degree is lower than the secondthreshold value Th2. In the upper portion of FIG. 10, the importancedegree is positive, but the importance degree may be negative asillustrated in FIG. 9F.

In accordance with the importance degree file illustrated in the upperportion of FIG. 10, the time bar of the importance degree illustrated inthe lower portion of FIG. 10 is segmented into a green-painted periodthroughout which the importance degree is above the first thresholdvalue Th1, a red-painted period throughout which the importance degreeis lower than the second threshold value Th2, and a yellow-paintedperiod throughout which the importance degree falls between the firstthreshold value Th1 and the second threshold value Th2. The time bar ofthe importance degree of the exemplary embodiment is thus generatedbased on the importance degree file, namely, the time distribution ofthe importance degree, and the first threshold value Th1 and the secondthreshold value Th2 set with respect to the importance degree.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a time bar image of the importancedegree. The time bar image of the importance degree is generated by theimportance degree notifying unit 27 in the server apparatus 20, isreceived by the importance degree receiving unit 31 in the administratorterminal apparatus 30, and is then displayed on the display 77 in theadministrator terminal apparatus 30. FIG. 11 illustrates the time barimage of the importance degree that is obtained when the importancedegree file illustrated in the upper portion of FIG. 10 is obtained inresponse to the lecture video “Introduction to biology (first session)”of FIG. 4.

The time bar image includes check boxes on the leftmost side thereof, athumbnail (still image) that is disposed to the right of the check boxesand is characteristic of the lecture video “Introduction to biology(first session)”, the time bar to the right of the thumbnail, and a dateof update to the right of the time bar. The administrator using theadministrator terminal apparatus 30 views the time bar of FIG. 11, andthus visually recognizes in the lecture video a time period throughoutwhich some participants are interested in the lecture video(green-painted time period having a higher importance degree), a timeperiod throughout which other participants are not much interested inthe lecture video (red-painted time period having a lower importancedegree), and a time period throughout which the participants interest isneither low nor high (yellow-painted period having an importance degreeneither high nor low).

FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B illustrate weighting coefficient managementtables. FIG. 12A illustrates weighting coefficients that arerespectively set for participants. FIG. 12B illustrates weightingcoefficients that are respectively set for lecture attendance timeperiods of the participants for the lecture video. The weightingcoefficient management tables are stored on the weighting coefficientstorage unit 26 (see FIG. 3) in the server apparatus 20.

Referring to FIG. 12A, a participant having a relatively higher mark isweighted with a higher weighting coefficient, and a participant having arelatively lower mark is weighted with a lower weighting coefficient. Inthis example, the participants marks are lower in the order of theparticipant X, the participant Y, and the participant Z. The weightingcoefficients of the participant X, the participant Y, and theparticipant Z are respectively 2.0, 1.0, and 0.5.

In the importance degree generating process of FIG. 6, the importancedegree generating unit 25 generates (modifies) the individual interestdegree using the weighting coefficient of the participant who views thelecture video. The individual interest degree of the participant X istwice the original value by multiplying the original value by theweighting coefficient of 2.0. The individual interest degree of theparticipant Y is equal to the original value by multiplying the originalvalue by the weighting coefficient of 1.0. The individual interestdegree of the participant Z is half the original value by multiplyingthe original value by the weighting coefficient of 0.5. As a result, theimportance degree resulting from the three persons of the participantsX, Y, and Z having viewed the lecture video reflects the above weightingcoefficients. More specifically, the individual interest degree of theparticipant having a relatively higher mark is reflected more in theindividual interest degree than the individual interest degree of theparticipant having a relatively lower mark.

The weighting coefficients of the participants are set depending on theparticipants□ relative marks. The method of the determination ofweighting coefficients is not limited to this method. For example, theweighting coefficients of the participants may be set depending on theparticipants attendance rates to the lecture. Alternatively, theweighting coefficients of the participants may be set depending on acombination of the relative marks and attendance rates of theparticipants.

Referring to FIG. 12B, a participant who views relatively earlier afterthe lecture video is publicly disclosed to each participant (after thelecture video is registered on the server apparatus 20) is weighted witha higher weighting coefficient, and a participant who views relativelylater is weighted with a lower weighting coefficient. In this example, aparticipant who views the lecture video within one week from the publicdisclosure is weighted with a weighting coefficient of 2.0, aparticipant who views the lecture video within a period from one week toone month from the public disclosure is weighted with a weightingcoefficient of 1.5, and a participant who views the lecture video onemonth or more later than the public disclosure is weighted with aweighting coefficient of 1.0.

In the importance degree generating process of FIG. 6, the importancedegree generating unit 25 generates (modifies) the individual interestdegree using the weighting coefficient of the lecture attendance timeperiod of the participant who views the lecture video. The individualinterest degree of the participant who views within one week from thepublic disclosure (the participant X, for example) is twice the originalinterest degree by multiplying the original interest degree by theweighting coefficient of 2.0 of the lecture attendance period. Theindividual interest degree of the participant who views within a periodfrom one week to one month from the public disclosure (the participantY, for example) is 1.5 times the original interest degree by multiplyingthe original interest degree by the weighting coefficient of 1.5 of thelecture attendance period. The individual interest degree of theparticipant who views the lecture video one month or more later than thepublic disclosure (the participant Z, for example) is equal to theoriginal interest degree by multiplying the original interest degree bythe weighting coefficient of 1.0 of the lecture attendance period. Theimportance degrees of the three persons, namely, the participants X, Y,and Z reflect the weighting coefficients in this way. More specifically,the individual interest degree of the participant who views the lecturevideo earlier is reflected in the importance degree more than theindividual interest degree of the participant who views the lecturevideo later.

In the above discussion, the weighting management table of FIG. 12A andthe weighting management table of FIG. 12B are separately used. Theexemplary embodiment is not limited to this method. Multiple weightingtables having different settings (such as the two tables of FIG. 12A andFIG. 12B) may be combined in use.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus comprising areceiving unit that receives, during play of a video, an operation withrespect to the video from a user; a storing unit that stores thereceived operation in association with a play time in the video, for aplurality of play times in the video; and a displaying unit thatdisplays an importance degree for each of the plurality of play times inchronological order, wherein the information processing apparatus isconfigured so that, if the user is different, the importance degree ofthe play time will be different, including that if the receiving unitreceives an operation from a user who views the video relatively earlierafter the video is registered, the important degree is relatively high,and if the receiving unit receives an operation from a user who viewsthe video relatively later after the video is registered, the importantdegree is relatively low.